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Today most people are going through a life of stress, due to work-life imbalance. It is time to take stock of the situation and do something about it. It’s time to return to nature. The nature poet William Wordsworth once said, “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.”

Even the overflow of water from the origin of a river in the form of a waterfall is powerful and its effects last long after it is ‘seen no more’. One of the most beautiful sights of nature is where there are waterfalls and greenery. Just looking at the surrounding foliage and the falling water is very cooling and can make one’s mind fresh. Getting wet in the water is all the more fun for not only children but also older people.

During summer, often the waterfalls are dry due to the heat in the atmosphere. Therefore, the best time to visit a waterfall is during monsoons, when the source of the river is overflowing with the supply from fresh showers. At this time the beauty of the falls is at its fullest. However, one needs to be careful of too much flooding and landslides during this time.

Now-a-days, many water parks are also coming up. They have artificial waterfalls, with music going on in the background. Many youngsters dance in the shower.

However, we will be talking about some natural waterfall destinations in India in this article.

Corbett: Famed as the one of the best sanctuaries for the endangered tiger population, Jim Corbett National Park boasts of the Corbett Falls. The national park is located in Uttarakhand, North India and eco-tourists are welcomed by the state. The closest town and railway station, Ramnagar is well-connected by road also to Lucknow, Nainital, Ranikhet, Haridwar, Dehradun and New Delhi. Phoolbagh, Pantnagar is the closest domestic airport. Currently there are no flights from the nearest international airport, New Delhi. But Dehradun and Lucknow are considered major air links.

Dharamshala: The beautiful Bhagsu waterfalls are situated in the Bhagsu village in Dharamshala. The famous Bhagsunath Temple is located in front of the falls. The scene created by this 30 ft cascading waterfall near a mountain featuring slate graffiti is just awesome. Located on the main road linking McLeodganj and Dharamshala together, the falls are about 11 kms from Dharamshala and directly connect Gaggal Airport and Pathankot Railway Station by road.

Manali: Manali prides itself in the presence of 2 visually captivating waterfalls – Jana and Jogini. Jana Falls is in a small village called Jana, while Jogini falls is in Bahang at the outskirts of Manali. The latter is a lovely green grassy trek, with many wild roses en route. Bhuntar is the nearest airport, within 50 kms. from Manali. The airport town is connected with Delhi and Chandigarh by domestic flights. But due to weather conditions, it would not be advisable to travel by air to or out of Manali. Road is another more convenient travel mode. There is a well-knit network of government and private buses connecting Manali with key tourist locations like Leh, Shimla, Kullu, Dharamshala and New Delhi. People often drive to the top of the breathtaking mountains on their own. But it would be wise to hire a taxi if one is not used to driving uphill.

Kodaikanal: Kodai’s Bear Shola, Talaiyar, Pambar, Silver Cascade and Fairy Waterfalls are a lot to write home about. Kodaikanal is joined by an intricate system of rail and road ways with other cities in India. By train, one can access Kodai Road, at 100 kms. from the main town. Chennai, Coimbatore, Puducherry, Madurai, etc. are connected to the town via buses. Taxi can be hired from the airport and the railway station, but their charges are not negotiable. If one intends to self-drive, they need to fully fill up the fuel tanks because there are very few gas stations on the way.

Munnar: Munnar is called the Kashmir of the south and is exalted due to the picturesque waterfalls. Attukal, Thommankuthu, Nayamakad, Power House, Kuthumkal, Cheeyappara and Valara are a few waterfalls in this natural tourist haunt. Munnar can be accessed by air, rail and road. But there is no airport in Munnar. But Cochin International Airport is within 110 kms. of road travel. Cabs are available at Cochin. If one wants to approach this place from Tamil Nadu, they can come from Madurai International Airport, at about 135 kms. distance from Munnar, via cab or government/private buses. Aluva is the closest railway station, 110 kms. away. Even Ernakulam Railway Station is at 130 kms. from Munnar. Taxis and buses connect Munnar to these locations via road. Government/private buses ply from major towns in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Want to have fun on the way? Then drive on your own!

Ooty: Catherine, Law and Kalhatti Waterfalls form some of the most picturesque sights in Ooty. Coimbatore Domestic Airport is around 88 kms away from Ooty, while Bangalore airport is 295 kms away. Both are connected to major Indian cities by flight. A taxi or bus can connect one to Ooty from these places. A train, from Chennai, Coimbatore, Mysore and Bangalore can drop you at Mettupalayam Road, at 40 kms. proximity to Ooty. Further one can board a heritage train, Nilgiri Mountain train, to take them uphill. Bet this journey is going to be fun! But a faster transport could be a cab. Government/luxury buses connect Ooty with Bangalore, Mysore and Chennai. The best journey would be the self-driven trip to the top through the reserve forest and amazing scenery.

Lonavala: Monsoon in Lonavala means umpteen waterfalls. Located some way beyond Bushy Dam, one reaches a large parking lot with food shops around. Beyond that one can trek down to the official Lonavala Waterfalls. Best for a trip in monsoons, the Maharashtrian hill station town is 64 kms. distant from Pune, the nearest domestic airport, which is well-connected to major Indian cites. Mumbai International Airport is also nearby, placed at about 100 kms. away. Lonavala is also well-connected via the rail with Mumbai and Pune. Travel by road is most comfortable, since the city is well-connected to a good network of roads coming from nearby cities.